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Director, Medicinal Chemistry

San Diego, CA💼 Full-time💰 $197,600–$197,600🗓 2026-08-28 → 2026-09-26

Core

Provide people management and strategic leadership for small-molecule discovery programs, advancing compounds from early discovery through candidate selection.

Role type

Director, Medicinal Chemistry (Strategic IC + People Management)

Builds

Small-molecule drug discovery programs

Domain

Biotechnology / Medicinal Chemistry

Deliverable

production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work

Required skills

Medicinal chemistry strategy, compound design and optimization, SAR strategy, cross-functional partnership, team mentorship, external collaborator management, IP strategy integration

Preferred skills

Integrating distinct functional groups, identifying new research initiatives, resolving organizational problems, infusing innovation

Technologies

None explicitly stated

Responsibilities

Lead medicinal chemistry strategy for small-molecule discovery programs; Drive compound design, synthesis, and optimization; Guide SAR strategy and data-driven decision-making; Partner with biology, DMPK, toxicology, and pharmaceutical sciences; Integrate developability and drug property considerations into chemistry strategy; Provide scientific leadership and mentorship to team members; Manage external collaborators; Communicate program strategy and risks to senior leadership; Support intellectual property strategy

Seniority

Director, strategic leadership with people management

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